Alternate action push button actuator



Sept. 8, 1964 Filed March 10, 1961 H. LI MYRENT ETAL 3,148,255 ALTERNATE ACTION PUSH UTTQN. ACTUATOR INV EN TORS HARRY L. MYRENT )if TANLEY J. SZCZESNIAK ATTORNEY Sept' 8 1964 H. L. MYRENT ETAL 3,148,255

ALTERNATE ACTION PUSH BUTTON ACTUATOR Filed March l0. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mmvro'ks HARRY L. -MYREN'' BY STANLEY J, szczsmm www" ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,148,255 ALTERNATE ACTON PUSH BUTTON ACTUATQR Harry L. Myrent, Wilmctte, and Stanley J. Szczesniait, Lindenhurst, Lake Villa, Ill., assignors to Vapor Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 11ii,285 7 Claims. (Cl. Mtl-104) This invention relates in general to an actuator for remotely controlling the operation of any desired mechanism, and more particularly to an actuator of the type for controlling the operation of electric switches and circuits.

The actuator of the present invention includes a housing having a driven member mounted for oscillating movement on a shaft between lirst and second positions, and a drive member reciprocably mounted in the housing for moving the driven member between the first and second positions upon successive strokes thereof. Means are also provided in the housing for resiliently positioning the driven member in either the first or second positions. A swinging or pivoting block is mounted on the end of the drive member to engage the driven member, and in one position engages the driven member to pivot same in one direction, while in the other position it engages the driven member to pivot it in the opposite direction. A solenoid is provided to impart reciprocal movement to the drive member, although it may be appreciated that any other suitable device may be used to operate the drive member. Although the present invention is illustrated as being constructed for use to control circuits and therefore denes it as a switch, it should be appreciated that there may be other uses for the present invention such as having 'the oscillating driven member connected to a fluid control valve for controlling the operation of the valve.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide an actuator capable of transmitting reciprocal movement into oscillating movement, wherein oscillating control movement may be imparted to a device.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an actuator for electric switches 'that transmit reciprocal movement into oscillating movement, and may be simply and inexpensively constructed.

A still further object of this invention resides in the provision of an improved solenoid operated switch actuator.

A further object of this invention is in the provision of a switch actuator capable of alternately controlling a plurality of circuits, wherein the actuator may be remotely controlled.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a switch actuator which may be operated by simple toggle means. Other objectsfeatures and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which:

FIG. l is a top plan view of the actuator according to the invention with the cover removed from the housing to show underlying parts;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the actuator of FIG. 1 and substantially along line 2 2 thereof, and with some parts broken away for purposes of clarity;

FIGS. 3-7, inclusive, are schematic plan views of the switch actuator, illustrating the operational steps and the various positions of the parts, with FIG. 7 also embodying a toggle arrangement for actuating the switch; and

FIG. 8 is a detail sectional view, taken substantially along line 8 8 of FIG. 1, illustrating a specific example of a switching arrangement associated with the switch actuator of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. l and 2, the actuator of the present invention is generally designated by the numeral 16 and is illustrated in combination with a solenoid generally designated by the numeral 11. It may be appreciated that the solenoid is employed to impart reciprocal movement to a drive member of the actuator, and that other types of devices for providing this movement may also be used.

The actuator l0 includes a sectional housing having a base or bottom i2 and a cover 13. As seen particularly in FIG. 2, the actuator i@ is secured to the frame of the solenoid by means of a screw fastener 14- which directly secures the base 12 to the solenoid frame. An oscillating driven member 1S and a reciprocating drive member 16 are mounted in the housing.

The oscillating driven member 15 is somewhat circular in shape and mounted to pivot on a pin or shaft 17 extending vertically as seen in FIG. 2 and supported at its opposite ends by the base and cover of the housing. The base, cover and oscillating driven member are constructed of an insulated material in the present illustration to condition the actuator for use as an electric switch.

The oscillating driven member 15 is capable of oscillating movement between a first position as shown in FIGS. l, 3 and 4 and a second position as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, there being a pair of arcuately spaced stops 18 and l@ on the driven member 15 adapted to coact with an abutment Ztl arranged within the housing to limit the pivotal movement thereof.

To assist in the oscillation of the driven member 15 and to further resiliently hold the driven member in its first or second position, coil springs 21 and 22 are provided opposi'te to the stops l and 19. Each spring is similarly mounted within the housing but at opposite sides thereof and accordingly the mounting arrangement of each spring being identical only necessitates specifically describing one of such mountings. Each mounting includes a driven member engaging button 23 and a pivotally anchored bracket 2d pivoted about a pin 25. The bracket 24E is provided with a spring guide section 26 about which a part of the spring is positioned and a spring bottoming shoulder 27 against which one end of the spring is bottomed. The spring guide section is provided with a blind bore 28 for slidably and guidably receiving a guide bar 29 extending from the drive member engaging button 23. A ange 39 is carried on the button 23 for bottoming the other end of the spring. Accordingly, during compression action of each spring, the button 23 will be driven toward the bracket 24 while the bar 29 always maintains the aligned relationship between the button and bracket and thereby always maintains the spring between the button and bracket. The buttons 23 engage notches 31 and 32 arcuately spaced along the outer periphery of the driven member 15 and along opposite sides thereof. As may be noted in FIGS. 3 and 5, the spring 21 swings between the two positions shown therein, while the spring 22 swings between the two positions also shown therein. 1n oscillating the driven member 15, when the coil springs have passed the over center positions relative to the shaft 17, the coil springs then will function to further drive the driven member to the stop positions.

The invention as illustrated operates as an electric switch and accordingly a plurality of sets of terminals 33, 34, 35 and 36 are mounted in the housing, each having a conductor engaging portion protruding outside of the housing and a contact engaging portion extending inside of the housing. As more particularly seen in FIG. 8, each set of terminals includes upper and lower terminals 36a and 36h. A plurality of sets of contacts 37, 3S, 39 and d@ are carried by the driven member 15 and arranged to be respectively associated with the terminals 33, 3d, 35 and 36. Again as seen in FIG. 8, the set of contacts it? includes an upper contact 60a adapted to engage the contact end of the upper terminal 36a and a lower contact Mib adapted to-engage the contact end of terminal 43h. The contacts are somewhat U-shaped and of an electrically conductive material to serve as a closing conductor between the upper and lower terminals. The sets of terminal contacts 39 and itl are mounted on the driven member 15 by being positioned in an opening 41 and resiliently urged away from each other by a spring 4Z. Buttons 43 and 44 are respectively provided on the contacts 39 and 411i to receive the ends of the springs 42 and maintain them in proper relationship with respect thereto. Thus the contacts are urged away from each other and against opposite sides of the opening 41 at 45 and 46. The size and spacing of the contacts are such that when one set of contacts engages a corresponding set of terminals, the spring 42 will be slightly compressed and thereby provide a spring biased contact terminal relationship. Similarly the contacts 37 and 3S are mounted in an opening on the driven member 15 and in substantially diametrically opposite position to the contacts 39 and 41D.

When the driven member 15 is in the positions as shown in FIGS. l, 3 and 4, the sets of contacts 3S and 39 engage the sets of terminals 34 and 35, respectively, while when the driven member 15 is in the position as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the contacts 37 and 40, respectively, engage the setsiof terminals 33 and 36. It should be appreciated that the sets of terminals 33, 34, 35 and 36 are insulated from each other by Virtue of the fact that they are mounted in the base or bottom section 12 of the housing which is constructed of insulating material. Similarly, the sets of contacts 37 and 38 are insulated from the sets of contacts 39 and 4@ by being arranged in spaced relationship on the insulated driven member 15.

The reciprocating drive member 16 is reciprocably mounted in the housing to reciprocate along a rectilinear path coinciding with a radius of the driven member 15. A bifurcated or slotted portion 47 is provided in the drive member 16 which is generally cylindrical for the purpose of accommodating telescopic movement of the drive member over the driven member 15 as particularly seen in FIG. 2. With further reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, enlarged rectangularly shaped upper and lower mounting blocks 46 and 49 are provided at the inner end of the drive member 16 and are positioned on opposite sides of the driven member 15. The blocks 4S and 49 are further slidably received within cutouts 50 and 51, respectively, in the cover and base of the housing which provide stops at opposite ends thereof to limit the movement of the drive member 16. For example, the rear edges 48a and 49a of the blocks 48 and 49 engage the shoulders 50a and 51a formed by the cutouts 50 and 51 when the drive member 16 is in the position as shown in FIG. 2. Similarly, the forward edges 48h and 49h of the blocks 4S and 49, respectively, cannot be moved beyond the limits of the shoulders 50b and 51h of the cutouts 56 and 51, although normally these edges will not engage these shoulders. A coil spring 52 embraces the cylindrical end of the drive member 16 and is bottomed on one end at a shoulder 53 formed in the housing and at the other end on a flange 54 mounted on the end of the drive member 16 which protrudes outside of the housing. Accordingly, the drive member 16 is resiliently biased to the position shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5 so that upon stroking of the drive member in the direction towards the driven member 15, it will be appreciated that the drive member will always return to its normal position at the end of its operating stroke.

1n order to provide a transmittal of movement from the drive member 16 to the driven member 15, a triangularly shaped swinging block 55 is pivotally mounted on a pin or shaft 56 between the enlarged ends 43 and 49 of the drive member 16. The swinging block 55, being arranged between the enlarged ends 4S and 49 of the drive member 16 must by necessity operate in an opening 57 which is of irregular shape and provided with a straight cam surface 515 extending perpendicular to a radius of said driven member and on opposite sides of the shaft 17. Spaced opposite from the cam surface 58 are a pair of cam surfaces 59 and 60 angularly related to the surface 53 and merging together at an apex 61. The swinging block 55 includes a nose 62 adapted to engage the cam surface 58 on opposite sides of the pin 17 during the operating stroke of the drive member 16 and a control side 63 adapted to coact with the apex 61 and the cam surfaces 59 and 61B to swing the block 55 between its two positions during oscillating movement of the driven member 15. Stop bars 64 and 65 extend between the upper and lower enlarged ends 48 and 49 of the drive member 16 to limit the swinging movement of the block 55.

The solenoid 11 serves in the embodiment disclosed to actuate the drive member 16 and impart movement thereto in the direction of the driven member 15, and includes generally a. frame 66 having an electromagnetic coil 67 suitably mounted therein. An armature 63 is received in the opening provided in the coil 67 and includes an extension 69, the outer end of which engages one end of a lever 70. A pin 71 is carried on the frame 66 of the solenoid to pivotally receive the lever 70, while the end of the lever opposite the solenoid is arranged to engage the outer end of the drive member 16. Energization of the solenoid 11 drives the armature 68 toward the left as seen in FIG. 2 to pivot the lever 7d clockwise about the pin 71 and thereby urge the drive member 16 inward to oscillate the driven member 15. A spring 72I bottomed at one end on the frame 11 embraces the armature 68 and is held in position by a washer or ilange 73 which receives the other end thereof. This spring further tends to return the armature back to the non-energized position upon deenergization of the solenoid. Thus, pulsing of the solenoid serves to drive the actuator. In the operation of the actuator, and referring particularly to FIGS. 3 7, in FIG. 3 the driven member 15 is shown in one position and the drive member 16 in its retracted position whereby the control side 63 of the block 55 engages and mates with the cam surface 59 of the driven member to swing the nose 62 toone side of the pivot pin 17. Thereupon depressing of the drive member 16 permits engagement of the block nose 62 with the cam surface 58 on one side of the shaft 17, and in this over center position, further movement of the drive member 16 towards the driven member 15 serves to pivot the driven member 15 in a counterclockwise direction as noted in FIGS. 4 and 5.. The springs 21 and 22 serve to aid in the pivoting of the driven member 15 as heretofore explained and to further lock the driven member in its second position whereby the stop 18 engages the abutment 20. It may be now noted that the cam surface 59 has been shifted away from alignment with the control side 63 of the swinging block 55, and that the cam surface 60 now is in the path of the control side of the swinging block. Upon return move- J ment of the drive member 16 as effected by the coil spring 52, the apex 61 engages the control side 63 of the swinging block at one side of the pivot pin 56 and rotates the block 55 so that the control side now mates in engagement with the cam surface 60 when the drive member is in completely retracted position, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5. With the swinging block 55 in the position as shown in FIG. 5, the nose 62 is arranged over center of the cam surface 58 on the opposite side of the shaft 17 whereupon further inward stroking of the drive member 16 will cause the driven member 15 to pivot in the opposite direction. Thus, successive reciprocal motions of the drive member 16 effects oscillation of the driven member to vary the switching operation of the contacts 37, 38, 39 and 40.

While the operation of the switch has been described in terms of the solenoid 11, it can be appreciated that the switch can be actuated manually or by appropriate niechanical means by merely depressing the reciprocating member 16. Actuation in this manner can be pre-determined for given timed intervals.

The actuator can also be actuated by toggle means 74 (FIG. 7). In such modified form of the actuator a V- shaped cut 7S is provided in the driven member 15. A bar is pivotally mounted as at 77 to a portion 78 of the actuator housing. By appropriate manipulation of the toggle end 79, the opposed end 80 will oscillate the member 15 through the various positions hereinabove described. In such event the plunger or drive member 16 will serve no function and the spring arrangement will serve to hold the contacts in the positions to which they are toggled.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention, but it is understood that this application is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. An actuator comprising a housing, a driven member pivotally mounted in said housing for oscillating movement between first and second positions, means for resiliently holding said driven member in either of said first or second positions, and a drive member reciprocably carried by said housing and having a block pivotally mounted and capable of swinging between first and second positions and engageable with one part of said driven member upon successive movements of said drive member in one direction to oscillate said driven member between said first and second positions and engageable with another part of said driven member upon successive movements of said drive member in the other direction to swing said block between said first and second positions.

2. A switch comprising a plunger, contact supporting means adapted to be driven in alternate pivotal directions between first and second positions by successive stroking of said plunger to selectively control conditioning of said switch, means for holding said contact supporting means in said first and second positions, said plunger movable along a reciprocal path perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said contact supporting means, a pivotally mounted block on one end of the plunger capable of swinging between rst and second positions, said block having a nose portion movable to opposite sides of the pivot axis of said contact supporting means, a cam on said contact supporting means and a cam follower on said block coacting to engage on successive strokes of said plunger to swing said block between said first and second positions thereof, and means on said contact supporting means extending on opposite sides of said pivot axis thereof for engagement with said nose portion.

3. A switch comprising a reciprocatable plunger, contact supporting means adapted to be driven in opposite pivotal directions to first and second positions by successive stroking of said plunger to selectively condition said switch, means for resiliently holding said contact supporting means in either said first or second positions, said plunger movable along a path extending perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said contact supporting means, an actuator pivotally mounted on one end of said plunger having a nose portion and a cam follower portion, a cam on said contact supporting means engageable with said cam follower portion to selectively cam said actuator in opposite pivotal directions between first and second positions upon successive stroking of said plunger, and abutment means on said contact supporting means on opposite sides of the pivotal axis thereof adapted to be engaged by said nose portion of said actuator.

4. A switch comprising a reciprocatable plunger, contact supporting means adapted to be driven in opposite pivotal directions to first and second positions by successive stroking of said plunger to selectively condition said switch, spring means operable in over-center relationship relative to the pivotal axis of said Contact supporting means for resiliently maintaining said contact supporting means in either said first or second positions, said plunger movable along a path extending perpendicular to the pivotal axis of said contact supporting means, an actuator pivotally mounted on one end of said plunger having a nose portion and a cam follower portion, a cam on said contact supporting means engageable with said cam follower portion to selectively cam said actuator in opposite pivotal directions between first and second positions upon successive stroking of said plunger, and abutment means on said contact supporting means on opposite sides of the pivotal axis thereof adapted to be engaged by said nose portion of said actuator.

5. A switch comprising a reciprocatable plunger, spring means for biasing said plunger in one direction, a solenoid operatively connected to said plunger for driving same in the direction against the biasing of said spring means, contact supporting means adapted to be driven in opposite pivotal directions to first and second positions by successive stroking of said plunger to selectively condition said switch, means for resiliently holding said contact supporting means in either said first or second positions, said to the pivotal axis of said contact supporting means, an actuator pivotally mounted on one end of said plunger having a nose portion and a cam follower portion, a cam on said contact supporting means engageable With said cam follower portion to selectively cam said actuator in opposite pivotal directions between first and second positions upon successive stroking of said plunger, and abutment means on said contact supporting means on opposite sides of the pivotal axis thereof adapted to be engaged by said nose portion of said actuator.

6. A relay switch comprising a hollow casing, a plunger ing inside thereof, spring means biasing said plunger in one direction, a solenoid operatively connected to said plunger for driving same in the other direction, a switch actuator in said casing pivotally mounted on a shaft supported thereby to be driven in opposite pivotal directions first or second posrt1ons, said plunger movable along a rectllinear p ath extending perpendicular to the shaft axis casing and having a nose portion and a cam follower portion, a Cam on said switch actuator and movable therewith and engageable with said cam follower portion to selectively cam said control member in opposite pivotal 7 said nose portion of the control member to drive said switch actuator.

7. A switch actuator comprising a housing, terminals mounted in said housing having contact engaging portions arranged within the housing and conductor connecting portions arranged outside of the housing, a contact supporting member oscillatably mounted within said housing and having contacts adapted to selectively engage said contact engaging portions of said terminals, said contact supporting member oscillatable between rst positions, means for resiliently holding said contact supporting member in either said first or second positions, and means for driving said contact supporting member between said positions including a plunger reciprocably mounted in said housing to reciprocate along a rectilinear path perpendicular to the oscillating axis of said contact supporting member, a pivotally mounted block on one end of the plunger within the housing, said block capable of moving between rst and second positions and having a nose portion and a cam follower portion, said contact supporting member having a nose portion engaging surand second 10 face and a cam adapted to engage said cam follower, whereby successive strokes of said plunger swings said block between said first and second positions and causes oscillation of said contact supporting member.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 211,600 Snediker Ian. 21, 1879 A 701,627 Schreier et al. lune 3, 1902 738,952 Spiller Sept. 15, 1903 1,744,950 Caruso Ian. 28, 1930 1,960,772 Deans May 29, 1934 2,529,970 Schmid Nov. 14, 1950 2,596,893 Finizie May 13, 1952 2,794,882 Russell lune 4, 1957 2,830,149 Winans Apr. 8, 1958 2,902,559 Morris Sept. 1, 1959 '2,908,781 Brunicardi Oct. 13, 1959 2,911,494 Rigert Nov. 3, 1959 2,912,537 Wolf Nov. 10, 1959 

1. AN ACTUATOR COMPRISING A HOUSING, A DRIVEN MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING FOR OSCILLATING MOVEMENT BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS, MEANS FOR RESILIENTLY HOLDING SAID DRIVEN MEMBER IN EITHER OF SAID FIRST OR SECOND POSITIONS, AND A DRIVE MEMBER RECIPROCABLY CARRIED BY SAID HOUSING AND HAVING A BLOCK PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AND CAPABLE OF SWINGING BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH ONE PART OF SAID DRIVEN MEMBER UPON SUCCESSIVE MOVEMENTS OF SAID DRIVE MEMBER IN ONE DIRECTION TO OSCILLATE SAID DRIVEN MEMBER BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH ANOTHER PART OF SAID DRIVEN MEMBER UPON SUCCESSIVE MOVEMENTS OF SAID DRIVE MEMBER IN THE OTHER DIRECTION TO SWING SAID BLOCK BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS. 